Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-10-27
ALLAN QUARTERN AIN
Or
i FR0WN'NG CITY

Queen Sorais addressed him in a soft and
musical voice, and appeared, to judge from
his gestures OF dissent, to be putting the
other side of the question before him.
Then Nyleptha spoke in liquid accents.
Little did we know that she was pleading
for our lives Finally, she turned and adj
dressed a TALL soldier-Iike man of middle
age, with black beard and long plain
sword-WhOse name, Gs we afterward
learnt, was Nasta, and who was the great
est lord in the country-apparently appeal
ing to him for support Now when Sir
Henry had caught her eye and she had
blushed SO rosy red, | had seen that the
incident had not escaped this mans notice,
and, what is more, that it was eminently
disagreeable to him; for he bit his lip, and
his hand frightened on his sword hilt.
Afterward we learnt that he was an aspir-
ant for the hand Of this queen in marriage,
which accounted for it. This being so, Ny.
leptha could not have appealed to a worse
person; for, speaking in slow, heavy tones,
he appeared to confirm all that the High
Priest Agon said. AS he spoke, Sorais put
her elbow on her knee, and, resting her
chin on her hand, looked at him with a
suppressed smile upon her lips, as though
she saw through the man, and was de-
termined to be his match; but Nyleptha
grew very angry. Her cheek bluShed, her
eyes flashed, and she did indeed look love
ly Finally she turned to Agon and seemed
to give some sort of qualified assent, for he
bowed at her words; and, as she spoke, she
moved her hands as though to emphasize
her words. whilst all the time SoraiS kept
her chin on her hand and smiled. Then
suddenly Nyleptha made a sign and the
trumpetS blew again, and everybody rose
to leave the hall save ourselves and the
guards, whom she motioned to stay
When they were all gone, she bent for
ward, and, smiling sweetly, partially by
signs and partially by EXPLANATIONS, made
it clear to us that she was very anxious to
know where we came from. The difficulty
was how to explain; but at last an idea
struck me. [ had my large pocket-book in
my pocket, and pencil. Taking it out, 1
made q little sketch of a lake, and then,
as best [ could, drew the underground riv-
er and the lake at the other end. When [
had done this, [ advanced to the steps of
the throne and gave it to her. She under
stood it at once clapped her hands with de-
light, and, then descending from the
throne, took it to her sister Sorais, who
also evidently understood. Next she took
the pencil from me, and, after examining
series Of delightful little sketches the first
representing herself holding out both hands
in welcome, and q man, uncommOnly like
Sir Henry, taking them. Next she drew a
lovely little picture of hippopotamus roll
ing about dying in the water, and of an in
dividual, in whom we had NO difficulty in
recognizing Agon the High Priest, holding
up his hands in horror on the bank. Their
followed a most alarming picture of
dreadful fiery furnace, and of the same fig
urc, Agon, poking us into it with a forlzed
stick. This picture perfectly Mortified me;
but was q little treasured when she nod
ded sweetly and proceeded to make a
fourth draWing-of a man, again uncom-
monty like Sir Henry, and of two women,
in whom recognized Soras and herself
each with one arm around him, and hold
ing sword in protection over him. To all
of these, Soras, who [ saw was employed
in carefully taking US all in-especially
Curt1s-signified her approval by nodding.
At last Nyleptha drew q final sketch of a
rising sun, indicating that she must go,
and that we should meet on the following
morning; whereat Sir Henry looked so
disappointed that she saw it, and, l sup
pose by way of consolation, extended her
hand to him to kiss, which he did with
pious fervor. At the same time, Sorais,
from whom Good had never taken his eye
glass during the whole indaba INTERVIEW,
rewarded him by giving him her hand to
kiss, though, while she did so, her eyes
were fixed upon Sir Henry am glad to
say that l was not implicated in these pro-
ceedings; neither Of them gave me their
hands to kiss.
Then Nyleptha turned and addressed the
man who annp1PaH tn no N command of
the body-guard, apparently, from her
manner and his frequent Obeisances, Civ
ing him very stringent and careful orders;
after which, with somewhat coquettish
nod and smile, she left the hall, followed
by S0rais and most of the guards.
Whensthe queens had gone, the officer
whom Nyleptha had addressed came for
ward and with many tokens of deep re-
.spect led us from the hall through various
passages to a sumptuOus set of apartments
opening out of a large central room lighted
with brazen swinging lamps (for it was
now dusk, and richly carpeted and strewn
with couches On table in the center of
the room was set profusiOn of food and
fruit, and, what is more, flowers. Ser
wants, male and female, also were there to
minister to us, and whilst we ate, from
some recess outside the apartment
The silver lutte did speak between
The trumpets lordly blowing;
and altogether we found ourselves in sort
of earthly paradise, which was only dis
turbed by the vision of that disgusting High
Priest who intended to commit us to the
flames. But so very weary were we with
our labors that we could scarcely keep cur
selves awake through the sumptuous meal;
and as soon as it was over we indicated
that we desired to sleep. So they led us
off and would have given us q room each,
but we made 1t clear that we would sleep
two in room. As a further precaution
against surprise, we left Umslopogaas with
his ak to sleep in the main chamber, near
the curtained doorways leading to the
apartments which we occupied respective
ly, Good and l in the one, and Sir Henry
and Alphonse in the other Then throw
ing off our clothes, with the exception of
the mail shirts, which we considered it
safer to keep on, we flung ourselves down
upon the low and luxurious couches, and
drew the silk embroidered coverlets over
us.
Tn two 1Std rODninr off